Mechanism for slotting studs.



A. J. LEWIS.

MECHANISMFOR SLOTTING STUDS.

APPLICATION FILED Auc.5. 1916.

1,284,358& Patented Nov. 12, 1918. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I I I I 'IIWENTOR A TTO/M/EY A. J. LEWIS.

MECHANISM fOR SLOTTING STUDS. APPLICATION FILED AUG.5. 1916.

Patented Nov. 12, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- IIVI/EIVTOR BY QMM A TTO/i/VE V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

ARTHUR J'. LEWIS, OF STRATFORDgCONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE I BAIRD MACHINE COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

MECHANISM FOR SLOTTING STUDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented N 0v.- 12, 1918.

Application filed August 5, 1916. Serial No. 113,856.

.snap fasteners, the sockets of which are the inner sides of tubular studs drawn from sheet metal. These studs require to be slot-.

ted to receive the engaging portions of springs which lock the shanks of the other fastener members in engagement with the socket members, and the invention has for its object to provide simple and efl'ective mechanism for cutting the slots after the studs are formed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a plan view partly broken away, illustrating a form of my novel mechanism adapted to Operate upon studs fed in the form of continuous strips;

Fig. 2 a fragmentary plan view of the head;

Fig. 3 a section on the line 33 in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 a section on the line 44 in Fig. 1, looking in the-direction of the -arrows;

Fig. 5 a plan view partly broken away illustrating a variant form, in which two cutters operate successively;

Fig. 6 a side elevation of the same form partly broken away;

Fig. 7 a detail plan view illustrating a form of my novel mechanism in which the studs are fed singly;

Fig. 8 a detail elevation of the same form, the carrier being in section, the plunger raised and the cutter retracted;

Fig. 9 a similar view, the plunger and cutter being in operative position;

Fig. 10 a plan viewand elevation of a stud before being operated upon;

11 a plan View and elevation of a stud after being operated upon;

Fig. 12 a plan view and elevation of the plunger corresponding with Figs. 3, 4 and 6;

Fig. 13' a plan view and elevation of the die corresponding therewith, and

Fig. 14 is a detail plan view illustrating still another variant form, in which cutters having single cutting points operate successively.

20 denotes a bracket 22, 23 the shaft, and 24 and 25 grooved cams carried by the shaft. In the .forms illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive the die is fixed in the head and the plunger reciprocates in the bed. 26 (see- Figs. 3 and 4) denotes the die which is seated in a hole in the head, is secured in place by a set the bed, 21 the head carried by screw 27 and is backed up by a screw 28.

Suitable means is provided, preferably upon the die, for supporting the studs during the slotting operation. In the present instance I have shown. the die as provided with a transverse rib 19 upon its face. 29 denotes an ejector which is seated in a longitudinal hole in the die and is provided With a head 30 lying in an enlargement of the hole. A spring 31, bearing against the head of the ejector and a backing screw 32, acts to force the ejector downward. 33 denotes the plunger carried by a yoke 34 which is loosely pivoted to a bell fulcrum in a bracket 36 depending from the bed. At the other end of the bell crank lever is a roller 37 adapted to travel in the groove of cam 25. At the upper end of the plunger I may or may not provide a teat 38 which is flattened on opposite sides (see Fig. 12) for a purpose presently to be explained, the flattened sides being in alinement with the rib on the die. 39 denotes the cutter which is carried by a slide 40 adapted to reciprocate in a way in the bed or in bracket 22. 'At the other end of the slide is a roller 41 adapted to travel in the groove of cam 24. The cutter is provided with a slot 42 which just receives the stud-supporting crank lever 35 having its slot, as at 43, the slotting operation being"- also spaces the studs. This mechanism is not shown, as specifically it forms no portion of the present invention. The strip is inserted with the flat sidedownward, the studs extending upward between the ways.

In operation, the mechanism is so timed that when a stud to be operated upon reaches the operating position, the plunger will rise, carrying the strip with it, the teat will pass into the stud, and the stud will pass into the hole in the die, raising the ejector against the power of spring 31. The cutter will then move forward and will cut the. slots 47 in opposite sides of the stud (see Fig. 11), the rib and teat being received in the slot in the cutter. "The cutter then moves back to its normal position, as in Fig. 1, after which the plunger drops, the strip dropping with it down to stops 56 in theways, as will be understood from Fig. 3. The plunger, however, drops downward far enough so that the teat lies slightly below the surface of the st'ops,so as not to interfere with the next feeding operation, which then takes place. Any possibility of the stud sticking in the hole in the die is prevented by the ejector, which is forced downward by spring 31 the instant the plunger moves downward. The instant the feeding operation is completed, the plunger moves upward again, carrying .the strip with it, theteat enters the next stud on the strip, the stud enters the hole in the die and the slotting operation takes place as before, these operations being continuously repeated until the studs in the strip are all slotted.

The form illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 differs from the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, only in that two cutters are used instead of one. A bar 48 issecured to the forward end of the slide and a block 49 is secured to the other end of the bar, a second cutter 50 being secured to the block. The bar is provided with an opening 51 through which the plunger passes. The operation is practically the same as before, the cutters of course operating successively, the first cutter to act passing half way, more or less, through the stud and the second cutter, moving from the opposite direction,completing the cut. In the form illustrated in Fig. 14, the same result is accomplished by cutters 58 having portion of the present invention.

single cutting points which operatesuccessively, moving from opposite directions and each making a complete cut. -It should he understood that the teat upon the plunger is not an essential feature of construction and may be dispensed with in elther of the forms if preferred.

The form illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 downward'instead of upward. 52 denotes a.

carrier in the form of a frame, which is adapted to reciprocate in the horizontal plane at right angles to the cutter or cutters. 53 and 54 denote pairs of spring fingers Within the opening in the carrier. The fastener members, indicated by 55, are fed to spring fingers 53by suitable feeding mechanism, not shown, as specifically it forms no It is deemed suflicient for the purposes of this specification to state that the carrier recip-' rocates a' distance equal to the distance from center to center of fastener members 1n the positions shown in-Fig. 7, in which the carrier is shown at the extreme of its forward movement. From the position shown in Fig. 7., the carrier moves backward and spring fingers 53 take a fastener member from the feeding mechanism at the position of the loose fastener member shown. The carrier then moves'forward to the position shown in Fig. 7 carrying the fastener member, see also Fig. 8, which shows the position of the plunger, die and cutter at this instant. The plunger then moves downward, the teat passing into the stud, and carries the fastener member out of spring fingers 53, and the carrier commences to move backward slowly carrying spring fingers 53 toward the receiving position and spring fingers 54 toward the position in which spring fingers 53 are shown. The downward movement of the plunger carries the stud into the hole in the die and forces the ejector downward against the power of spring 3l.- The cutter then moves forward as in Fig. 9, and cuts the slots 47 in opposite sides of the stud, the

rib and teat being received in' the slot in the cutter. The cutter then moves back to its normal position. The plunger now moves one-third, more or less, the distance toward its raised position and stops, and the ejector raises the slotted fastener member out of the hole in the die, the fastener member being held by the plunger and die in horizontal alinement with spring fingers 54. An instant after the fastener member reaches this position, spring fingers 54, which are now moving backward, will take the fastener member from between the plunger and die. Spring fingers 54 will now be in the position in which spring. fingers 53 are shown, and spring fingers 53 will be in the receiving position and will take a new fastener member from the feeding mechanism. As soon as spring fingers 54 take the fastener member that has been operated upon from between the plunger and die, the plun- 1, 3-'and.4,' although it ger completes its upward movement and the several movements are repeated. The carrier'now moves forward again, spring fingers 53 carrying a new fastener member into-- position to be operated upon, and. spring fingers 54 carrying the'fastener member that has been operated upon forward to the position shown in Fig. 7, wherejt is removed from the spring fin ers by mechanism notshown,- as specifical y it forms no portion of the present-inven ion, and drops through an opening 57 in the bed. In Figs. 7, 8 and 9, I have shown'a single cutter as in Figs. should be understood that two cutters operating as in Figs. 5 and 6 may be used if preferred. The teat upon the plunger may-be dispensed with in this form as well as in the other forms if preferred,

and it is not essential that the stud-supporting means be a part of the die.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: I

1. Mechanism for slotting studs comprising a plunger, a die having stud-supporting means and a reciprocating cutter havin a .slot adapted to receive the stud-support1ng in opposite means,/whereby slots are cut sides of studs held between the plunger and the die.

2.-Mech anis'm for slotting studs comprising a die havings stud supporting means, a plunger cooperating therewith, and cutters traveling between the die and the plunger and on opposite sides of the stud supporting means.

' 3. Mechanism for slotting studs comprising a die having a rib, a plunger cooperating therewith, and reciprocating cutters which pass between the die and the plunger and on opposite sides of the ri 4:. Mechanism for slotting studs comprising a plunger which moves the studs into position to be operated upon, a die cooperating therewith and having a rib, and cutters traveling between the plunger. and the die and on opposite sides of the rib.

5. Mechanism for slotting studs comprising a die having a-rib, a plunger cooperating therewith to hold the studs, and cutting points adapted to pass on opposite sides of the rib in the slotting operation.

' and acting to move the studs into position to be operated upon, and a reciprocating cutter cooperating with the plunger and having cutting points which remove metal plunger coiiperating therewith, and cutters acting between the dieand the plunger and on opposite sides ofthe' stud supporting means.

8. Mechanism'for slotting studs comprising a plunger which moves the studs into position to be operated upon, a die cooperating therewith and having a rib, movable cutters traveling between the plunger and the die and on o posite sides of the rib and stops which limlt the downward movement of the stud when the plunger in retracted.

9. Mechanism for slotting studs comprising a plunger, a die having stud-supporting means, anda reciprocating cutter having a slot adapted to receive the stud-supporting means and having its forward end beveled backward and outward on-opposite sides of the slot, the slotting operation being performed by the points of the cutter formed by the intersection of the bevels with the walls of the slot.

10. Mechanism for slotting studs comprising a plunger having a teat, a die having a rib on its face and a longitudinal hole to receive a stud and a reclprocating cutter having a slot adapted to receive the rib and the teat in the slotting operation.

11. Mechanism for slotting studs comprising a die having a rib on its face and a longitudinal hole to receive a stud, a plunger having a teat flattened on oppositesides in alinement with the rib, and a reciprocating cutter having a slot adapted to receive the rib and the teat in the slotting operation.

12. Mechanism for slotting studs comprising a plunger having a flattened teat, a die having a rib on its face and a longitudinal hole, and a reciprocating cutter having a slot adapted to receive the rib and the teat in the slotting operation.

13. Mechanism for slotting tubular studs comprising a plunger having a teat adapted to pass within a stud, a die having a rib on its face and a longitudinal hole to receive a stud, and a reciprocating cutter having a'slot adapted to receive the rib and the teat and having its forward end beveled backward and outward on opposite sides of the slot in the cutter.

14. Mechanism for slotting studs comprising a plunger, a die having stud-supporting means, reciprocating cutting points cooperating with the plunger and adapted to pass on opposite sides of the stud-supporting means, and means for guiding the studs in a path transverse to the path of movement of the cutting points.

15. Mechanism for slotting studs comprising a plunger having a teat, a die having 'inga die having stud supporting means, a

a rib on its face and a longitudinal hole for the purpose set forth, an ejector in the hole, reciprocating cutting points, and

means for guiding the studs in a path trans- 5 verse to. the path of movement of the cutting points. i

16. Mechanism for slotting studs consisting of a plunger, a die having a rib on its face, a reciprocating slide and cutting points carried by the slide and adapted to pass on 10 opposite sides of the rib in the slottmg operation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ARTHUR J. LEWIS. 

